Insulin, Betacellulin, and Estrogens

We discovered that bovine insulin (BI) is present in commercially pasteurized milk and infant formulas. We also learned that BI has good oral bioavailability since antibodies to BI are a common phenomenon among children who have consumed infant formula containing cow’s milk. This is very important information for children who have a genetic predisposition for T1D because BI differs from human insulin by only three amino acids. The immune response induced by BI in these children may react with human insulin and lead to ß-cell destruction, especially if children are exposed to infant formula containing cow’s milk before the age of 3 months. This is a period of high intestinal permeability or leaky gut.

As expected, various epidemiological studies have associated cow’s milk consumption with T1D in genetically susceptible children, especially when the initial exposure begins in the first months of life. Thus, exclusively breastfeeding during the first 6 months and avoiding formulas based on cow’s milk is highly recommended.

Comments to this website are moderated by our editorial board. For approval, comments need to be relevant to the article and free of profanities and personal attacks. We encourage cordial debates for the betterment of understanding and discovery. Comments that advertise or promote a business will also not be approved, however, links to relevant blog posts that follow the aforementioned criteria will be allowed. Thank you.

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment. See the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information. Ad choices